Inside the Chatterbox

I have to say, though, I didn’t think I’d like people trying to talk to me while I’m trying to do something I would usually do solo. I assumed it would be distracting, if not intrusive. Asking me where I’m from, what I do for a living, how did I hear about the class, etc. A week ago, I thought that’s all for me to know and you to stop asking about while I concentrate on placing my footfalls just so in order to prevent the pain in my knees from taking over. Part of me still feels that way (primarily the knee part), but I’m coming around. One interval at a time.

In fact, the discussion also is as promised. In the introduction meeting, as I’ve said before, most everyone talked about how great it was to talk to people while we go through our individual journeys together. Now that I’ve got a few outings out of the way, I’ve found the time does go by quicker when I try to carry on a conversation with someone else. Before I know it, the whistle blows and it is time to end one interval and begin the next. Besides that, everyone is so annoyingly nice. Doesn’t seem right.

Unfortunately, there is one woman who has my first name and another who has my last name as HER first name. I’ve never had that happen before.

Rather than having people put a number after my name, I am now going by a different name altogether. I went against the late Leslie Nielsen’s instructions and I’ve asked everyone to call me Shirlie. I thought – “How many Shirlies could there be?” I spelled it with an “ie” to further differentiate myself in the off chance another Shirly or Shirley pop into class sometime.

I sure hope that works. It would be embarrassing if it didn’t, don’t you think?